Toronto, Ontario — General Motors has filed a patent for an automatic wheel detection system aiming to alert drivers when their vehicle’s wheels fall out of spec.
According to the patent, originally filed on March 10, 2022 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the wheel detection system functions by using a system composed of sensors and a controller, with the sensors configured to send signals based on external forces.
Specifically, based on external inputs, the sensor and controller system will determine if a force exerted on the vehicle has a magnitude that is greater than a preset value and will then send an alert to the driver that a wheel alignment check should be performed.
This feature, the patent further notes, could be beneficial for autonomous vehicles to help ensure that their wheels are within certain drive safe limits thereby potentially helping to extend the life of the onboard equipment.
As with all patents, there is of course no guarantee that this idea will ever make it to the manufacturing stage, but similarly, GM is not the first automaker to suggest having vehicles increasingly notify drivers about potential malfunctions or needed maintenance.
